Shasta Lake Has seen an unprecedented amount of water so far this winter season and could have easily filled to capacity on one of several his water events we have experienced. Federal water managers have continuously released record flows from Shasta Dam to keep lake levels below full pool. This has caused a continuous rise and fall of lake water which can play a major role in fishing productivity.
Shasta Lake Spotted bass caught this week.
Spotted bass fishing has been very good in the turbid water at the mouths of creeks entering Shasta. Spotted bass will gravitate to the creeks during periods of rainfall where they know food sources will be flushed into the lake from the rising flows in the creeks. Often times the creek water temps will exceed the lake temperatures which also draw in the bass.
Shasta Lake Spotted bass!
Overall Shasta Lake is fishing quite well right now and should continue to get even better as we head into March which is typically the start of the best bass fishing of the season. As the lake water warms and clears, fishing will be great for bass, trout, and King salmon in the lake. Swim baits, spinner baits, crawfish imitations, and worm rigs are all working right now. The water is still cold so keep your presentations slow and you will see more bites throughout the day. There are a lot of fish that are still suspending and shouldn't be overlooked if you are marking them with your electronics. My favorite way to chase suspended bass is to drop under spin rigs over them or jig a spoon above them.
